How to Return the iPhone 4 For a Refund 2010-07-13 07:30:33

How-To: Return Your iPhone 4

Consumer Reportsisn't satisfied with the latest iPhone, and if you're not either, then now's the time to start thinking about returning it to Apple. Customers here in the US can return their iPhone 4 within 30 days for a full refund (and opt-out of an AT&T contract if you don't want to stick with the carrier), which falls on the 28th of July if you went home with an iPhone 4 on launch day. Returning it is surprisingly easy, and there are plenty of other handsets to consider that will fill your smartphone needs, and carriers that still offer unlimited data (ahem, Verizon).

So how exactly do you return your iPhone 4 if you want off the Apple train? Find out after the jump.

Returning your iPhone 4 for a full refund is actually quite easy. You can visit the online Order Status page and sign in with your Apple account, or call 1-800-676-2775 to request a return. In order to get all your dough back, you'll need to have the iPhone returned to the Apple warehouse within 30 calendar days of when it was first shipped to you, not when you actually received it. If you bought your iPhone in an Apple store, just return to the same store with your receipt for your return. Make sure you include the box, charger, and all manuals in either case for your return. Bonus — you won't have to pay a restocking fee, even if you've opened the box!

As far as your wireless service, if you've properly returned your iPhone within 30 days of purchase or shipment, your AT&T contract will cancel automatically according to Apple's return policy. If it were me though, I'd go ahead and confirm that the service has been canceled with AT&T right away. You can never be too careful!

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4 years

my new phone is having speaker issue :((

4 years

I have a Iphone4 and waited for the "Free Case" which solves the issue?? well they took there time on shipping it and posted it 31 days after I received the phone... interesting.
It has made 0 difference to the phones reception, its still rubbish.
Apple should be ashamed of bringing out such as huge design fault and then not putting there hands up and giving us the consumer a refund or get the thing fixed free of charge.
I think people like Apple forget that we are the people that get up every day, go to work to get paid rubbish money and save to buy these products.
I have invested my time and money in Apple with the 2g-3G-3GS-Iphone4 and Imac, next time I look for a new phone or computer I will be thinking a lot harder and shopping around before Apple get my money.
Iphone4 - Sucks (but has a great screen)

4 years

My Iphone 4 could not get cell reception, I returned it 1 week after receiving it, well within the 30 day return policy, but was charged a restocking fee. Apple says they charge but this article says they do not. Have any of you had issues with getting your restocking fee waived? What advice do you have?

4 years

I just finished talking to an iDiot teen girl @ apple return hotline. Reason: I didnt hear the word "SORRY" and to top that, Jobs was blaming all other phone design and all of us, the users, to hold it certain way!!! Ridiculous approach from Jobs...given the Apple brand and its quality, I would have expected a "Sorry we screw up", no need to offer me even a free bumper.(most already had one anyway).
Honestly, Market is full of "MUCH BETTER" than iphone devises...getting samsung Galaxy and will enjoy FREEDOM from iTune and iSay and iRule and iDiots!!!!

5 years

I am going to return my iphone 4 because my computer software doesn't support iphone 4. Do you guys have any ideas whether they allow me to get another one if I update my computer in the future? Thanks!!

This article only addresses iPhone 4 returns for Apple bought iPhones. Although BestBuy does have a 30 day return policy for mobile phone purchases, I can never seem to find any additional information regarding restocking fees, etc. if someone who bought their iPhone from a BestBuy wanted to return it.
I bought my iP4 from BBM and have not been able to replicate the death grip. However, my assumption is that the antenna issue is real and perhaps those that are experiencing it got theirs from a bad batch of phones from the factory. It happens. And if people aren't satisfied they should have the option to return without fault....to whichever retailer they bought it from.

5 years

I called apple and if it was purchased on launch day, they said to return today(24)/tomorrow(25)!!

5 years

Guys, dont forget the coverage varies in all areas. At my home i did the grip on my iphone 4 and it lost signal completely from having full bars. I had barely 2-3 bars on my 3gs. But at work i get 4 strong bars and constant service, grip it by the aheles spot and signal doesnt change. Now on the other hand, i get this problem with the lighting sensor, it doesnt work sometimes and at night i get a bright bright flash in my eyes, screen doesnt dim, and also same problem when holding my phone to my ear. I put ppl on hold and mute when in call...
Another thing i noticed is calls dropped. I had about 4-5 dropped calls on the way home from work ( i drive) and i get troubles switching towers. Never had these problems with my nice ole jaklbroken 3gs. Luckily i still have it, on 4.0 and im returning my iP4 because its not what i was paying the money for :-) facetime just doesnt make up for all the messy parts of the phone... Good luck to everyone keeping the new potentially defective toy.

5 years

I am on hold with the at&t return line right now. I love my iphone 4, and I haven't had any problems with the reception yet. However, when I am on the phone the phone touches my face and hangs up on people, dials numbers, mutes the call, and tries to call other contacts. This annoying defect is a deal breaker for me. I have used the 3g and 3gs iphones and did not have this problem. I wonder if anyone else has this problem.

5 years

When my niece's Iphone got stolen. I call AT&T to remove the data plan but apparently I still got charged for almost 5 months (I blame myself for not checking the phone bill). AT&T only refund me for only three month since their system can only go back for 90 days. Was told to go to AT&T store and they can do it over there. Went there and the guy refused to refund my money almost had a fist fight with him due to his trashy unprofessional attitude (yes, he's the manager).
it's just not worth punching someone for $60 for that lousy AT&T network. I just left.

5 years

@ Fredphoesh, Your have made my day by publicly admitting that moving to Android is an upgrade. These Apple groupies wouldn't know a true no icon only based O.S if it slaped them in the face. Android is advancing extremely fast. People need to get to know and understand this. Google Android is doing to Apple what Microsoft did years ago, quickly burying them with the more open, customizable and advanced O.S. Apple takes years to make a great product but, what they actually do is let someone else create a piece of hardware and they use it in their device and claim it as their own innovation and then try to say they invented the smart phone. I was using a Windows Mobile smart phone years ago that was then and is still to this day more advanced than any iphone to date, meaning it had true multi-tasking and a touchscreen (that apple didn't invent) it also has tons more apps available than android and iphone put together they're just not organized in an app store, you'd have to do an internet search to find what you're looking for. Pandora made it's debut on a winmo device. Anyways, Android has won me over, as of today I retired my Motorola Droid and bought my Droid X from which i'm writing this post on right now and quite comfortably i might add with this 4.3 inch screen and the swype keyboard.

5 years

Hi, unfortunately returning an iPhone4 in the UK is a NIGHTMARE!!!
I eventually returned my iPhone4 yesterday after over two weeks of complaining: +20 phone calls to Orange and Apple, and 6 or 7 visits to the Orange UK store where I bought the phone, and a registered legal letter of complaint... All that trouble because Apple had not acknowledged it as a FAULT, which meant I could not return a phone that was "not faulty" but simply had a bit of incorrect software which was going to be fixed by an update.
Personally﻿ I am sick to death of Steve Jobs' lack of integrity, he really gives me the creeps, standing on his stage, smug and lying about his products. This time he has been caught out,﻿ claiming this phone has better reception than any of it's predecessors. Last time he was claiming the iPad was the "most advanced piece of technology he has ever worked on" LOL What a bald-faced lie- its an overgrown iPod! Im upgrading to Android. I am tired of the hype, and this disappointment takes the cake.

"As far as your wireless service, if you've properly returned your iPhone within 30 days of purchase or shipment, your AT&T contract will cancel automatically according to Apple's return policy. If it were me though, I'd go ahead and confirm that the service has been canceled with AT&T right away. You can never be too careful!"
The Apple Store employee who handled my return said that returning the iPhone does not "cancel" your AT&T contract, it merely "suspends" it. He explained that I'd have to go to an AT&T store to properly cancel the contract and reinstate my old contract. It's best to bring proof that you returned the iPhone to Apple to the AT&T store.

I'd also like to add, that after I returned my iPhone to Apple and went to AT&T to restore my old contract and reactive my old iPhone, the AT&T rep inquired if I returned it because of "all the problems with the iPhone [4]." His exact words. He wondered if Apple had a lot of people returning their iPhone 4s, and added that he's handled quite a few returns. The big but to all this is while the rep was processing my 1 return, at least 3 people around me signed up to order the iPhone 4. I'm sure Apple's laughing to the bank.

Some of these comments are ridiculous. If your iPhone 4 doesn't have any problems, or you can't differentiate the issues arising from the iPhone 4's hardware from AT&T's network, then good for you. But I, and several other people I know who have iPhone 4s have experienced antenna and/or proximity sensor issues. These are not exaggerated. I returned my iPhone yesterday and will do what I should've done in the first place -- wait and see.
I object to the claims that these complaints are only coming from those who don't or can't have an iPhone. As if these complaints stem out of envy? Really. Having paid $299 plus tax (~$365), and signed my soul over to AT&T for another 2 years, is it too much to expect my new iPhone 4 to function like a phone without having my calls dropped if I hold the phone the "wrong" way? I'm sorry, but it's people who paid $299 (subsidized) to $499 (early upgrade) for a lemon who are complaining the loudest.
You know what those people who don't or can't have an iPhone 4 are doing? Certainly not voicing valid complaints. No, they're laughing at us Apple fanboys and girls who bought into Steve Job's reality distortion field.

5 years

The iPhone4 is flawed. Put your finger on the small black line on the bottom left of the phone, watch your bars diminish. Apple messed up and if you think otherwise youre an apple fanboy. I have an iphone, probably wont return it because I dont have time to do so. Hoping there is a recall to be honest

@Happsmjc You don't have to give up your phone, just swap it for one that doesn't have that problem :)

5 years

Can I return it if the screen shattered when it was dropped?? When I called apple they said I would have to pay a $200 fee to get it replaced, but I never asked if I could return it.

5 years

The iPhone 4 does have a antennae issue. It won't be an issue if you are in a area with towers nearby, as it doesn't drop the signal far enough to lose a call.
but but I've asked my friends and they aren't having issues either..Here's an idea, talk to a friend that doesn't live in the same area as you.
but but my boyfriend and I have the i4 and don't have any problems...because you will never find an apple store without a tower nearby, get real.

me too totonlaura! No major problems here (or with any family). I have accidentally hung up on people when trying to hold it with my ear, I thought this was just something I had to be careful of but one friend took hers back b/c of a sensor problem that was causing the keypad to turn on during calls?? I'd rather hang up on one or two people then get rid of my iphone!

I’m more worried about dropping and breaking it than I am of the reception!

5 years

it's because certain people can't afford or is not able to have one therefore they will nitpick and bash at anything they can possible. And the media/bloggers wanting more traffic to their website will jump in the bandwagon.

I think the few people that have had problems has been exaggerated, obviously. I think many people are out to make the iPhone 4 look bad mainly because they don't/can't have it. That's what my boyfriend says, but then again- he's an Apple employee... haha